Delaware Pools

	SPONSORED LINKS:

Anthony & Sylvan
Quality, warranty, stability, pool designs, spas, equipment
1450 Capitol Trail, Newark, Delaware 19711

Archadia Pool Services --› Quick Tips
Specializing in Aboveground and Inground Pool Maintenance

Atlantis Spas, Pools & Billiards
166 S. Dupont Hwy, Suite 200, New Castle, Delaware 19720

Clark's Pools & Spa
A full service and supply pool retail store in Delaware.
731 Rue Madora Dr, Bear, Delaware 19701

Colony Pool Service
Delaware pools retailer
5107 Governor Printz Blvd, Wilmington, DE 19809

Fabricius & Associates Garden & Landscape Design
Pool Designs and Layouts
1206 Glossy Ibis Ct, Middletown, DE 19709

Olympic Pool Service, Inc.
Concrete Swimming Pool Repair and Renovations
1906 Oak Lane Rd, Wilmington, Delaware 19803

Pools & Spas Unlimited
Your Complete Pool and Spa Care Center!
- 19 S. Broad St, Middletown, DE 19709
- 3420 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19808

Swift Pools
Swimming pool installation Delaware
1123 Kirkwood Hwy, Newark, Delaware 19711

Sussex County

Parker Enterprises, Ltd.
Lifestyle Design Center
22277 Lewes-Georgetown Hwy, Georgetown, DE 19947

Pools & Spas Unlimited
219 N. Rehoboth Blvd, Milford, DE 19963

	SPONSORED LINKS:

Pool Advice from the Experts

Swimming Pool 101

Having a swimming pool in your backyard can be both a blessing and curse. Many home owners have their dream pool built for them, while others buy a house that comes with a pool. In both cases there a few basics anyone will have to know if they plan on maintaining their new swimming pool.

One of the first things any pool owner is going to want to do is learn a little bit about how your pool works and the equipment involved. All pools will come with a Filtration System designed to clean away debris in the water as well as circulate the chemicals. It’s this combination of filtration and chemicals that will keep your water sparkling all season long.

There are four main filter systems used today. Sand filters, Cartridge filters, D.E. filters (Diatomaceous Earth), and Micromatic Media Filters. It can be hard to know which type will be best suited for your pool, so let’s take a closer look at each.

Sand filtration has been around since, well since forever. As water passes between the sand particles the dirt gets caught on the sharp edges of the sand crystal. These edges get worn over time; therefore your sand must be replaced every few years. The main disadvantage of a sand filter is that it can’t catch really tiny particles, but it’s incredibly simple to use and sand is very cheap as well.

Cartridge based filters are exactly that, a paper element similar to that of an air filter. It will catch much more than a sand filter will and will last between 3-5 years depending on usage and maintenance. The cartridges themselves though do require periodic cleaning by hand with a garden hose and soaking in a cleaner to break down body oils and suntan lotion.

D.E. or Diatomaceous Earth is an extremely clean filter system, quite possibly the cleanest of all your choices. The D.E. or Earth is actually the name for the white powder that is used to coat a paper fiber in the filter tank. It’s the powder, not the cloth, which does the cleaning. This system will do a great job of keeping the pool water clean, but expect a lot of work if your pool becomes cloudy or green with algae as you will have to
replace the dirty D.E. powder frequently.

Finally you have what many believe is the best all around filter system available today. Micromedia filters are actually a combination of Micromatic Media and sand or any large aggregate. The Micromedia itself is actually composed of a material is covered in thousands of little nooks and crannies. As the water passes through these holes the debris is caught inside. Possibly the best thing about this type of media is that it cleans not only what you can see, but also all the stuff that’s too small for human eyes. It may last up to 8 years before needing to be replaced. Extra clean and long lasting, this should be a no brainer.

Once you have figured out which filter works best for you, its time to think about what chemicals you want to use to sanitize the pool water. Today there are too many choices to list them all, but the main staples are as follows: Chlorine, Biguanide, and Salt Systems.

There are dozens of variations of chlorine out there from standard chlorine, low chlorine, to virtually no chlorine. Chlorine is cheap and it works, guaranteed. That being said, it’s dangerous to keep around children and will slowly but surely cause your pool equipment to corrode.

Biguanide is the fancy word for the Baquacil type of chemicals. These are totally non-chlorine and cannot be combined with any other type of system. It sanitizes using Hydrogen Peroxide, which is very effective at killing bacteria in water and does not corrode pool equipment, cause burning eyes, or fade swim suits. It does however cost a lot and can be even more of a hassle if the pool ever goes south on you.

Salt systems are actually a chlorine based system, but their popularity gives them a section to themselves. Salt is simply made of two basic elements, NaCl (Sodium Chloride). If you were to remove the Sodium, you would be left with pure Chlorine. That is exactly how this system works. 99.9% pure salt is added to the water and through electrolysis the salt in the water becomes chlorine. This is possibly the smartest choice for any homeowner as it will offer the simplicity of chlorine but eliminates all negatives, such as itchy eyes, faded suits, and chlorine odor.

After picking your chemicals all that’s left is to change the Balance of your pool water to make sure that all the money you just spent on filters and sanitizers goes to work correctly. Here you adjust the pH, Alkalinity, and Hardness of the water to make it friendlier for bathers and less friendly for algae. You should have you water tested once a month by a pool store who can check for more than what test strips or drops will tell you.

So there are really 3 simple things any pool owner is going to have to do to have a good pool season. Filter your water as much as possible, maintain good pH and don’t forget to add your sanitizer. If you can manage those 3 things you stand a much better chance of looking out your window at a clean pool rather than a brand new pond.

About the Author: Sean Hopkins - President of Archadia Pool Services. Over 11 years industry experience. Specializing in aboveground and inground maintenance. Weekly and monthly services available.
www.Archadiapoolservices.com - archadiapoolservices [at] gmail.com

Delaware Home Improvement

Delaware Pools

Custom Search